Pet Peeve

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT PET PEEVE - PAGE 3

Dear Readers: I recently wrote a column on the misuse of words, grammatical goofs and assorted speech irritants, and invited my readers to send me their pet peeves concerning same. Well, here's Collection No. 2: The most annoying speech irritant is still all those "you knows?" and a close second is beginning every sentence with "basically." If you think "epitome" means the ultimate, the tops or the height of- go stand in the corner. "Epitome" means a person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class.

Dear Abby: Oh, my gosh -- the letter from Bob Buckles' mom listing the rules for good table manners was the best! What a great woman. She included everything you need to survive a social dinner anywhere. I am a social phobic -- there, I've said it out loud. And those rules will help me remember what to do. In case I missed a rule or two while raising my girls, I'll pass that list along. You can be sure it'll be posted on my fridge. Thank you, Bob -- and thanks to you, Mom. And thank you too, Abby.

DILEMMA How do you open up a long, narrow room? SOLUTION "Keep the walls light to open up a room-even if you have the right scale, the wrong colors will defeat the intention. I like the middle-tone to subdued range of colors to keep such a room open." MORE ABOUT LORETTA WILLIS Willis has owned Loretta's Interior Design, 1586 Pine Lake Drive, Naperville, since 1989. Her focus is on residential work. - Area covered: Hinsdale west, with concentration in Naperville.

DILEMMA Our home, built in 1925, is situated in a very quaint, historic neighborhood. The coach house is aluminum-sided in white, attached by a breezeway. Is it important to keep the prime color of the main house white? What color or series of colors should we paint our home? - Molly Rice, Lake Forest SOLUTION Deborah Reinhart finds the Rice house absolutely charming, part of its appeal being a mature, evolved look. An exterior face lift for it depends on several philosophical considerations, she says.

Guest designer Joan M. Kaufman has a solution for your decorating dilemma. DILEMMA How do you update a room inexpensively without buying everything new? SOLUTION "I think I do this more than anything else . . . I change all the pillows, reupholster one or two pieces, maybe embellish or rework the draperies. I use colors that are hot right now. There's a return to lots of earth tonesto sage green, cinnamons, burnt siennasas opposed to oranges, and a return to neutrals with metallics in them."

DILEMMA How do I incorporate an Art Deco motif in the kitchen and master bathroom? SOLUTION To bring a clean, streamlined architectural look into the kitchen, Hudok would choose cabinetry with clean lines enhanced with different architectural moldings (step moldings or zigzag patterns) and use chrome or textured stainless-steel fixtures. For proper lighting, he suggests sconces so light goes directly upward. In the bathroom, he would use similar cabinetry, a linear detail on the face of the tub and a clean chrome faucet.

Dear Miss Manners: I think it would be nice for Miss Manners to go over the issue of how to address the female physician, socially and professionally. My pet peeve is to be addressed as Mrs. Curall, especially since I never changed my name, ever, even when I was married, which I am not, thankfully, now. Being a hyphenated American, I feel that this is a way for a non-hyphenated American, the usual offender, to put one down. How do you think I should handle this? I appreciate Miss Manners helping the medical profession out this way. I am sure one of us will be of great service to Miss Manners in the future.

I have to use a cane occasionally to get around. Sometimes when I am trying to hail a taxi, people see me and walk farther up the block so the cab will see them first. This has happened to me more times than I can count when I am standing at Clark and Maple. The worst part is when the cab passes me, the guys wave to me out the window! Some gentlemen, huh? MRS. DEWILYNN RUDNICK / Chicago Are those red signs with the word STOP on them now the equivalent of the bullfighter's cape?

The similarities are uncanny. Yanni and Andre Rieu are classical-ish, mega-platinum recording artists. Both are beloved and reviled for their extravagant, Celine-Dion-in-Vegas-style shows, their countless PBS pledge drive specials and their expertly tousled hair. Both men have launched tours that will bring them to town in the next few weeks. Are they the same person? Possibly! Consider the following: Vital stats Yanni: 54 years old. Greek. New Age superstar.

Rarely a day goes by without coach Joe Gibbs reinforcing the importance of eliminating penalties and turnovers to his football team, and this week will be no exception. The Redskins will get a daily affirmation of this mantra as they prepare to host the Bears in Sunday's season opener, and it appears to be needed now more than ever. The Redskins again had a poor turnover differential this preseason--worst in the NFC, in fact--and committed too many penalties despite those areas being primary points of emphasis.